Los Angeles is always a great scenarios for personal stories of struggle and success, specially when the subject is an African American raised in rough neighborhoods. From John Singleton’s “Boyz in the Hood”, John N. Smith “Dangerous Mind” and Paul Haggis “Crash” these films explore African American trying to make it, but with a very shocking consequences.

In the film “Dope” director Famuyiwa presents a very simple story with very complex consequences. Malcolm Adekanbi (Shamik Moore) is a high school senior who lives with his mother. Malcom’s dad left to Africa when he was a little kid. Malcolm’s love 90’s hip hop, from wearing the traditional clothing to hear the music and also been devoted to that cultural trend. His biggest dream is to go to Harvard, but as an African American his advisory is not to happy about it, he also demoralized Malcom to desist the idea.

Malcolm have two friends, Jib and Diggy,( Tony Revolori and Kersey Clemons) both are geek like him and they spent time in their bicycles going around the rough neighborhood of Inwood in Los Angeles. In a strange chain of events in a party Malcolm end up with his back pack fill with molly and a gun and that’s when the real adventure of Dope start.

The film to me is like putting the essence of Pulp Fiction in a high school in Los Angeles. The story takes you from many intricate corners of Malcom’s and the gang trying to get rid of the drug and doing things right. The film is funny, shocking but also have a good heart, because presents a great social statement about stereotypes of African American who wants to have the sames chances like everyone else.

Dope have the perfect soundtrack for the summer, curated by Pharrell. The film is produced by Forest Whitaker and Sean Combs.

The brain is one of the most complex organs from human beings. It have the ability to manage, memories, emotions, but also is capable to control the body and the proper functioning.

When we born, the brain is already working and developing. But when we are out of the whom, the brain is trying to keep up with the activity that surround us.

That's basically when the story of "Inside Out" start. A little girl was born, Riley Anderson but also the first emotion of this girl shows up Joy (Amy Poehler) who is responsible of taking care of the most happy and joyful feeling of Riley. Then the next one of the gang appears. Sadness (Phyllis Smith) Fear (Bill Hader) Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kailing).
Throughout the years of Riley childhood everything seems to run smoothly, until Riley's parents decide to move to San Francisco for a business opportunity. This is the moment when the world is crumbly around for the emotions and of course to Riley.

Inside Out is a film by Pete Docter. No strange from the genre of animation. He have written the story of films like Up, WALL-E and Toy Story 1 and 2 and the subjects that he covered are related to human connection, life and of course emotions. Probably in "Inside Out" Docter combined all this different elements from past film and merged into a very original and self explanatory story about a kids brain, how thoughts, emotions and the intricate aspects the human brain works. During a Q&A at the Museum of Moving images, he confessed that he create the story with the help of neurologist and physiologist, but also with his own personal experiences as a father.

This is a movie from a point of view from a kid, but told by adults. "Inside Out" is very original and groundbreaking film when it comes to storytelling, character development and fine performance by all the actors on this movie.

I highly recommend this movie, is funny, original and most of all compelling. In fact it brought me tears at the end.

AVA

Love in the modern world is probably one of the biggest mystery in our society. The lack of human interaction and the replacement of that personal and close interaction it's been replaced by electronic communication. From email, web chat, instant text messaging, internet dating and app based dating choices, people are more afraid of meet someone in person and rely on technology to develop the basic thing which is connection.

Hollywood have explore human interaction with artificial intelligence as part of the exploration of human nature and personality against a machine.

From Terminator (Human-robot bond friendship) 2001 (Human - A.I. Spaceship crew member) Her (Human - Robot companion) Blade Runner (Human - A.I. working, pleasure robot) A.I. Artificial intelligence (Human - A.I. family member replacement) Alien and Prometheus (Human - A.I. Spaceship crew member) all this films shows the different aspects of A.I. presence in the real world.

Alex Garland's "Ex Machina" tales the story of Caleb (Domhall Gleeson) a worker for the company Bluebook. At the beginning of the movie Caleb is chosen by the company lottery to visit the company CEO Nathan (Oscar Isaac) house in the mountains. Nathan house is a paradise, with all the amazing aspect of a technologic masterpiece as well the perfect location to learn and experiment.

Nathan is a very eccentric person, who lives only with his servant Kyoko a non English speaking assistant, Nathan idea is use Caleb to perform a Touring Test (Based on the work of Alan Touring) on his A.I. named AVA (Alicia Vikander). The idea is to understand how human AVA can be and discover if her behavior can be distinguished from human to A.I.

The relationship between AVA and Caleb develops into a romantic attachment.

Ex Machina becomes am instant classic for the nature of the subject, the film making techniques, as well sound and music but also the powerful story with a very nihilistic conclusion who will everyone wonder. Films like Blade Runner is immediately connected, because it creates a conflict between right or wrong and how science defies god by using technology to provide companionship to humans. Technology is develop to make life easier, not to replace life and turning life against us.

This film Ex Machina is a great movie with a powerful performance by Oscar Isaac, Alicia Viaknder and a great piece of film making by Alex Garland.

"While we're Young"

Midlife crisis, family and professional success are probably the biggest problem in modern society. This problem leads to jealousy, frustration, lack of personal fulfillment and sadly separation or divorce.

In the film "While we're Young" a middle aged couple Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts) lives in NY and work in the film industry, Josh as a director who is challenged to finish a film that have 8 years in the making and for Cornelia he work as a documentary producer, but also he dream to be a mom, after two previous miscarriages.

During a lecture Josh met Jamie (Adam Driver) and Darby (Amanda Seyfried) who are this youngster couple who lives the life to the fullest, but also they call themselves fan of Josh work from his previous documentary. That night Josh and Cornelia end up having dinner with Jamie and Darby and this becomes a big revelation for all of them, specially for Josh and Cornelia.

The couple discover what they been missing in life and what's left to do becoming a race against aging, from dressing better or cooler clothing, new and interesting activities, but also a new way of life. For them Jamie and Darby is the answer to their unsatisfaction in life and the engine to relive again.

Jamie and Darby represents the youngsters who never experience some traditional things, like records, board games and less technologies. Perhaps they use this traditional or analog things to be cooler and appeal all generations. It's a culture of use the old to be the new cool.

The cast is perfect for this movie Stiller is the perfect neurotic middle age man, Watts represents the perfect woman in search of doing younger activities to have fun, Driver is perfect as a the young filmmaker who adore older filmmakers just to suck their energy and success just to take benefit for it.

The soundtrack reflects a perfect representation of songs that transition from older times to newer times as well devotion for retro music as an excuse to be cool again.

At the end of the day director Noah Baumbach shows you how life can be lived by focusing on your own personal success and not helping people who use you to become successful. Life is a constant struggle. You can be tired of doing the same things, but you have to keep fighting to find meaning to your relationships and career if not you are doom.

Matthew Seiner creator of the hit TV show Mad Man said in a interview: "Others people success should never stop you from be successful"

A very near future cities are submerge in high crime rate, from Chicago, Caracas, Rio de Janiero and Johannesburg. High cost of living, corruption and taxation are the biggest obstacles to make police effective in this cities. The corporation Tetraval offered a very easy solution, "Scouts" this police robot completely design to enforce and reduce crime rate is a big success for this corporation, but like any other company, there is struggle to succeed in the art of weapon and protection endeavor…

This is the setting of the film, Chappie directed Neil Blomkamp (District 9 and Elysium) is the story of Deon Wilson (Dev Patel) is the maker of the "Scouts" a very effective police robot, with the finest technology to solve Johannesburg crime rate, but also make Tetraval company millionaire. Like any other company, their employees compete to make their inventions come alive and be part of the corporation products. That's the case of Vincent Moore (Hugh Jackman) a ex military who design MOOSE a attack robot that is capable to self transportation and warfare attack. Moore is jealous of Deon and his success with the Scouts.
During a ambush a group of gang members who lost an important quantity of money on a sting, comes with the idea of kidnap Deon and force him to make a Scout a criminal. This comes as a coincidence while Deon steal a deactivated Scout and pretend to use it as a test with chip that creates to makes this robot more human, with a consciousness. Tetraval company don't believe in this project so Deon is just trying to achieve something beyond the corporation ideals of sells weapons. Chappie is the name of Deon's project, his mission, learn from life itself and become a less violent robot.

Chappie comes as a mash up of Paul Verhoeven 1987 Robocop, Disney's Pinocchio and Short Circuit. We have two robot projects so like in Robocop, one more human than the other and also one more lethal than the other. The similarities are so scary because the settings are basically the same. Detroit vs Johannesburg, which one is more violent? Scouts and MOOSE vs Robocop and ED-209 are similar weapons build with the promise of a better and more safer city, but also build with greed from one to another. Deon is the maker of Chappie, like Geppetto was the make of Pinocchio, a wooden toy who wants to be human, but it needs to learn the way of life like Chappie was forced to do the same in order to become a robot criminal. Like any other film robot Chappie learn from the American culture, from He-Man, to the bling-bling this robot learn the bad things of life and will discover that this world is not that beautiful.

Technology in Chappie is what it is vulnerable, limited by energy in a UN-replaceable battery, the human controlling and determine what is worth it, but also how the power of a maternal love and his maker will develop in a pseudo homage to Bjork's "All is Full of Love" music video.

Chappie bring back some of the interesting ideas from District 9, but also become a messy third act trying to justify the evilness of unprepared villains, like Vincent Moore.

Two guys on a British bar talking about someone they know. Then a bunch of street thugs walks in and that's when the fun start... Hollywood have done so many films about spies, but the blueprint of James bonds continues shaping some of this films. From the music, the gals, the costumes etc.

Actors like Leslie Nielsen, Bruce Willis, Mike Meyers, Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Matt Damon and others have played spies or secret agents. Their stories have drama, sacrifice and also rewards. In the breed of this actors Matthew Vaughn bring us Kingsman: The Secret Service.

The film presents Harry Hart (Colin Firth) a veteran Kingsman who lost his friend at the beginning of the year. Harry feel responsible for his death so he commit to take care of his friend son, when the time comes. Kingsman is a secret service agency using a high end tailoring shop as a cover. Chester King (Michael Caine) is the leader of the organization and Merlin (Mark Strong) is s Kingsman agent and trainer.

Seventeen years have pass and Eggsy Harry's friend son have is all grown up. Eggsy's life is really hard, his mom remarry to a abusive guy, connected to a band of thugs. Among that the kid is a mess, Eggsy is a robber and car stealer, but he have talents. After a recent car robbery Harry rescue him from jail with the commitment of become a Kingsman. Eggys accept.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is a great action pack film about a kid who follow the footsteps of his father to become a highly powerful secret agent. Matthew Vaughn delivers a entertaining and fun film with great performance. The film also introduce you to a new breed of young actors who probably will be in new Hollywood films. The scenes are well choreographed and amazingly edited.

Colin Firth, Michael Caine and Mark Strong are great. Newcomer Aron Egerton and Sophie Cookson are really good too. Dancer Sofie Boutella is perfect for her role. Probably my biggest disappointment was Samuel L Jackson character. I don't know, after seen so many apis films, you are hoping that the villain will be sinister and evil, not a technology mogul with speech impediment.

Since Slumdog Millionare in 2008 it seems like Hollywood might be in love with India. Life of Pi, The Million Dollar Arm, One Hundred Foot Journey and the First movie of Marigold Hotel. What is Hollywood looking with the Indian culture? The biggest value of those stories is the struggle of one person to overcome a obstacle, from love, sports, money, food and even second chances movies with Indian themes are powerful but fades because of the big industry just tell some stories about Indian people, but not as compelling as the films imported from India, like a recent film with a very compelling and simple story "The Lunchbox"

In The Second Best Marigold Hotel, directed by John Madden brings A group of elderly British who meet again in the hot and colorful India. This time we meet the same characters from the first film, but also have new ones who try to evolve the dynamic of relationships and new personal goals. Now Sonny (Dev Patel) is about to marry Sunaina (Tina Desai) his fiance and the Marigold Hotel is up and running, but needs more work, the arrangements for the wedding are also creating conflicts between the bride and groom.

Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) is now a successful textile specialist, Magde (Celia Imrie) is a specialist in have several relationships with wealth Indian millionaires, Muriel (Maggie Smith) manages the hotel with Sonny, but also is his best advisory in personal life and Douglas still in love with Evelyn, like the rest of the cast they are still in soul searching.

The Second Best Marigold Hotel is a film about mortality, this what John Madden said in a recent Q&A about the film. We see the characters come and go, not only because this hotel is a transitioning place, is also a place to let things go…

Most of the characters are in the search for something, that can be a second chance, but also a way to rediscover their new age period with the colors and the happiness of the Indian people. Richard Gere character fit perfectly in this analogy. He went to review a project and he discover and new project to live or Magde who goes left and right for love, but may be the center is the best direction to go...

The film is fun and cheerful, everyone is pretty charming, probably my main concern is the film is long to tell so many stories…